The English GM John Nunn stopped the German Matthias Kierzek who was on the run 4/4 and so now there are three players in the lead (4.5/5) and two of them, John Nunn and the Slovakian GM Lubomir Ftacnick, they will clash today: if there is a victory, whoever achieves it will have placed a nice brick for the title.
Among the 5 players of the group that chases with 4/5 the Italian Master Carlo Luciani, author of an excellent tournament so far.
Also among the Italians yesterday was an exciting performance by Master Marco Ubezio who stopped GM Nona Gaprindashvili on the draw.
The women have been included in the Open tournament and therefore the final result will depend on the matches which will certainly not all be between them.
At the moment, two players are in the lead with 3.5/5 Georgian GM Nona Gaprindashvili and German WGM Fischdick Gisela.
Georgian GM Zurab Sturua (2022 world senior champion) and our IM Fabrizio Bellia (2021 European senior champion) are alone in the lead with 4.5/5 and today, even in this tournament, the direct clash could already be decisive.
We report in the small group that chases the Italian IM Daniel Contin with 4/5.
These 4 will play with each other today and we'll see who really will apply for the final rush.
Here we have a 9-round Round Robin and for the moment Greek WGM Marina Makropoulou and French WIM Martine Dubois are in the lead with 3/5.
All rankings can be found here.
We recommend our Facebook page: Ecu senior chess 2023
As everyone knows, it is very difficult to establish the motivation that drives players to participate in one tournament rather than another: some go to play for the location, some for the playing conditions, some for the titles up for grabs, some for prizes and, who because they know that the organization is of a good standard.
This tournament we believe has attracted such a large number of players for a mix of all the reasons mentioned.
We have already written extensively about Acqui Terme and the optimal conditions of the Play venue and the good organization; the titles up for grabs are those of European Champion for each category and this allows, among other things, to be hosted at the next World Championship; the most eagerly awaited prizes are naturally those in cash and 10.000 euros aren't bad.
A separate discussion must be made for the plaques and medals. Simple plates have been chosen for the three who will get on the podium (always for each category) so as not to create problems for those traveling by plane by giving away bulky cups. Also, for all players there will be a certificate of participation.
Finally, the organization has also included, as it did at the World Senior Championship in Assisi, special prizes for the first three classified over 75s.
These are prizes that want to attest to the special attention that Arcoworldchess places for those who, despite the aches and pains of age, love this game/sport and wants to be present at all costs!
An important part of organizing a chess tournament and even more so for a European or World Championship is the Arbiters staff. It is necessary to cover as many languages as possible and at the same time have the maximum competence and preparation on the ever-evolving FIDE regulations to keep up with the problems that the changes in the world also bring to our beloved chessboards.
Cristina Rigo has always been very scrupulous to these details and to the formation of the team of arbiters and obviously the choices in this tournament have also been spot on.In the photos the entire staff plus the two organizers.
Photos: Marco Maffiotto
Usually the first round of play of any tournament is characterized by warm greetings between chess players who have not seen each other for a long time, and not even the European Championship escapes this tradition, on the contrary, perhaps this ritual is even more felt when players from different countries meet (here there are 33 Federations represented).
Today, at the start of the second round, we had a visit from Television RAITRE which recorded images and interviews that will be broadcast in the next few days. We must admit that it is always pleasant to have cameras and journalists from outside the sector in the tournament hall: a combination that chess does not see every day.
We are only in the second round and we already have to record some surprise results. Few to tell the truth but very significant and gratifying for the players who scored them: and we're talking about three Italians and this makes us doubly pleased.
In the over 65 great result of Giovanni Iudicello and Franco Rodella who snatched a draw respectively with the Hungarian GM Lubomir Ftacnick and the MI Craig Pritchett. In particular, Iudicello took away half a point from N° 2 on the scoreboard to which this misstep could cost dearly for the final standings even if there are still 7 games to play.
In the Open 50+ equally exceptional was the result of MF Alessio De Santis that the N° 2 of the draw, GM Suat Atalik, didn't stop him on the draw but beat him! And this could be even more serious for the GM for the final classification.
After 12 days from the closing of registrations, as scheduled, today Friday May 26 at 15.10, with only a few minutes late, the first round of the 2023 edition of the ECU Senior Chess Championship 50+ and 65+ was kicked off.
Overall, after some last-minute withdraw, 179 players started moving knights and pawns divided into three tournaments: Open 65+ with 90 participants; Open 50+ with 80 participants and Women 50+ with 9 participants (obviously it's a round robin tournament).
Subsequently he presented the arbiters staff composed:
and Fiala Zdenek (Czech Republic) for the electronics boards.
The first round was preceded by a welcome from Cristina Rigo followed by the Italian National Anthem and the ECU one. Then the Monegasque Jean-Michel Rapaire, Vice President of the ECU and Rossana Benazzo Councilor for Tourism of the Municipality of Acqui took part. So the floor went to the Chief Arbiter Panagiotis Nikoloupoulos alias “Takis” (Greece) who illustrated the latest regulations that came into force relating in particular to anticheating and the method of application in this Championship.
"We are pleased to welcome again this year an international chess event in our town from May 25th until June 4th. Hosting such a prestigious chess sporting event is a consolidated tradition for us since many years, and thanks to the commitment of the Municipality of Acqui Terme and of the organisers, Cristina Pernici Rigo and Michele Cordara, it has become a regular and not to be missed event in the Acqui Terme events calendar.
The game of chess is one of the world's most popular one, capable of bringing together even the most distant generations thanks to the irrepressible charm of the 'mental duel' each match generates, and to the opportunity to play almost everywhere.
For this reason, we are honoured to host in Acqui Terme players from all over Europe, to make them feel at home, promoting the long-lasting tradition of the Italian hospitality".
"It will be a unique and enjoyable opportunity to introduce this wonderful and fascinating discipline to all lovers and not of the genre. All chess players are considered athletes par excellence, since chess is a mental discipline offering innumerable benefits for all ages.
We therefore congratulate all the players competing with such great commitment in this discipline based on high logic skill and strategy.
Moreover, we would like to remind that the entire tournament will be supported by numerous side events: blitz chess tournaments, local produce tastings and many other interesting activities to colour our city under the magical “chess” atmosphere.
We wish everyone a successful tournament and good luck to all participants!"
The event awards 4 European titles: 2 for male and female players aged between 50 and 64 and 2 for male and female players over 65 years old. In this edition the Organizers have also included a special classification (however there are no titles up for grabs) for the over 75s.
It will be played from May 26 to June 3 at the Acqui Terme Congress Centre under the patronage of the Piedmont Region, the Municipality of Acqui Terme, and the national CONI. 50 matches will be live on the web with the electronic boards every afternoon from 3 pm.
Organizers: Comitato Arcoworldchess (Cristina Pernici Rigo – Arco di Trento) e Scaccomattissimo ASD (Michele Cordara - Torino).
This edition of the Championship at the deadline of registration on May 14, broke all previous records: 182 players including 58 among Grand Masters, International Masters, Fide Masters. Representing 33 European federations.
To get an idea of the great success we are achieving, here are the results of the latest editions:
Senior 0pen 50+ GM Zurab Sturua
2518 - Georgia
Senior woman 50+ WGM Makropoulou Marina
2081 - Greece
Senior open 65+ GM John Nunn
2579 - England
Senior woman 65+ GM Nona Gaprindashvili
2274 - Georgia
The Organizers of these tournament are: Scacchisti.it, Alfiere Bianco srl, Scaccomattissimo ASD, Comitato Arcoworldchess.
There is no other town in Italy that has hosted so many chess events in so few years. Italian, European, World institutional events but also weekend and international festivals, seminars of the Olympic teams, groupings of the team championships. A real big feast of chess that brought thousands of people to Acqui to play chess and, of course, the name of Acqui around the world through chess media and generalist media.
